Method of forming metal wheels



ly 2 1929. E.H.AR-OLD 1.719.745

METHOD OF FORMING METAL WHEELS Original Filed May 5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 BYMAQW' A rrogaqzy- July 2, 1929. E. H. ARNOLD METHOD OF FORMING METAL WHEELS Original Filed May 5, 1925 I5 Sheets-Sheet IIIIIIIIIIIIIA 111,114

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METHOD OF FORMING METAL WHEELS Original Filed May 1925 I: Sheets-Sheet 5 r. m a 11111111111 Z Y //VVN TOR Ernest HA7): old

Arrow/ Y Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST H. ARNOLD, OF CTIEVELAND, OHIO.

METHOD OF FORMING METAL \VHEELS.

Application filed May 5, 1925, Serial No. 28,100. Renewed October 31, 1928.

This invention relates to improvements in metal vehicle wheels and the method of forming the same. It is usual in this type of wheels to form the spokes of tubular metal stock or to form the spokes of longitudinal halves and weld the parts together forming a longitudinal seam thereby. In any case, it has been customary to form the spokes with open ends, sometimes reducing the outer end and thereafter forcing the tenon thereof into apertures of the felly or rim. It is an obj ect of my pres ent invention to use a drawn spoke drawn from a metal plate to the length of the spoke desired, leaving the outer end of the spoke U closed and of the same size in cross section as the main portion of the spoke.

It is a further object of my invention to insert the closed end of the spoke into apertures of the rim. and provide a locking cap 1 J which serves both to lock the cap to the rim and also lock the spoke to the rim and cap. For accomplishing the latter result it is my purpose to apply a cap to each aperture in the rim, then insert the spoke within the cap, and thereafter press the cap and spoke end down against the outer surface of the rim about the aperture, so that said expanded parts will be flattened out over the rim and lock the three parts together.

A further object is to provide disc members in pairs certain of the members having telescoping annular flanges which when engaged bear the longitudinal strain at the inner end of the spokes thereon. and thereby forming an annular spoke-receiving structure or hub portion.

With these and other objects as they will appear as the description proceeds, my invention comprises the various novel features of construction hereinafter more definitely specified and claimed, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a finished wheel;

Figure 2 is an edge view of the wheel, a part being shown in section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a face view with parts broken away;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 4- 1 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a detail section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view of the spoke-engaging parts of the hub. with parts disengaged;

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a spoke, shown engaging a cap and rim, and attached to the hub, but shown before the spoke and cap are locked to the rim;

Figure 8 is a sectional showing of the outer end of the spoke, the cap and the rim after being locked together, and

Figures 9 to 12 are sectional views of modified forms of caps.

The wheel shown, and the method of forming the same includes the following parts and the following manner of assemblage: The wheel comprises an axle-receiving member A, a spoke-receiving structure made up of annular disc members 11 and 12, spokes 10, lockmg caps 24 and an apertured rim B. The part A may be fashioned in different ways, any of the standard forms of hub being adapted well to my novel and improved wheel structure. In any case, this member A is received within the discs 11 and 12 which are apertured centrally, the inturned lips or flanges and 16 being telescoped, the former within the latter, when the discs are engaged in the complete product, as shown in Fig. 4.

The parts 11 and 12 are arranged in pairs, the outer and larger disc member 11 not only being provided with the flange 13, but having also the flanged perforation which is forced into engagement with a corresponding aperture in the contiguous disc 12, for the purpose of further locking the two members together. This member 11 is provided with a radially extending peripheral border or edge 17, especially intended to engage the spokes and hold them in tight engagement, as will be more definitely explained later.

As stated before, the discs 11 and 12 are arranged in pairs, each inner disc 12 being nested with in the outer disc 11. This is shown clearly in Fig. 6 where the discs are shown before" the pairs are united and before the spokes are assembled in position, there being a disc 12 nested in each larger disc 11, and one pair finally applied to the other. In this Fig. 6 it is to be noted that concentrically with the cup flanges 13 and 14 of the parts, the discs 11 are provided with annular flanges 15 and 16 which extend inwardly approximately the full thickness or depth of the wheel hub when assembled, the flange 16 being slightly larger in radius than 15, so that the two flanges telescope When the discs are finally assembled. This provides a double layer of metal upon which the base of the spokes rest when completed, a condition which is especially emphasized as according great strength, as will be shown when the operation of assembling is described. This telescoped arrangement is shown well in Figs. 2, 4 and in Fig. 7. In all these views-Figs. 2, 4 and 6, the flanges 13 and 14 are shown in exact alinement with their edges facing the corresponding flanges of the opposite side, Fig. 6 showing the pairs wholly separated, Fig. 4 showing the pairs applied but the flanges 13 and 14 having their edges slightly separated, as the bolts have not yet been inserted, and Fig. 2 showing the parts all assembled, and the edges of the flanges 13 and 14 in contiguous engagement by the force of the hub bolts 42, here shown as tightened to bind all hub parts together.

The drawn spokes 10 are presented to the rim by their closed ends 30, and the open ends 35' are flared slightly in the plane of the periphery of the hub, so that the crosssection of this end is somewhat oval, as indicated in Fig. 5.v The section of the main part of each spoke is more nearly, or quite, circular. The open ends of the spokes are consequently curved in their edges to properly fit the curved outer surface of the flange 16, as shown in Fig. 7, and the inner walls of'the lower ends of the spokes 10 are provided'with longitudinal beads 36 which serve to greatly strengthen the spokes against endwise strain tending to buckle the same, but serving most effectively to resist a twisting strain of the spoke in the hub, as will be evident.

As stated above, the four discs designated by 111 and 12, are arranged in pairs, and the outermost discs 11 have a peripherally extended edge 17. This edge or border is folded or bent inwardly about the spokes 10 until the two edges 17 meet, as shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, where a flanged portion 18 punchedout from one edge is inserted in a female part of the other 19, and the two borders 17 riveted securely together, as shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 5, and designated by numeral 41. Bolts may be inserted through these apertures if desired, and will generally be used.

' The caps, shown in Figs. 7to12, areinserted in apertures 22 in the inner wall 21of the rim B, the inner edges,23 of the apertures being flanged inwardly in the forms shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 12. These caps are designated 24in Fig. 7, and are provided with outwardly bent flanges aboutthe flanges 23 and are again bentoutwardly at 29 to engage securely the part 23. The closed end 30. of the spokes is then inserted into the caps as shown, extending preferably beyond the outer surface of the wall 21, as shown in Fig. 7. The com bined spoke ends and caps as shown in Fig. 7 the spokes being inserted into the capped apertures 22 while full size in cross section, are now upset, or swaged, by application of 'strong pressure radially inward of the spokes,

as shown in Fig. 8, resulting in distending the walls of both caps and spoke ends to dilate them to an enlarged extent as indicated in Fig. 8 by numerals 31 and 32, respectively. Both caps and spokes are thereby depressed by the applied pressure of this operation as designated by 34 and 40, respectively. The vertical or radial walls of the caps in the apertures 22 are thus made continuous with the distension 31 at the point 33, thereby locking both the caps in the apertures of the rim, but also, the spoke ends 30 against with drawal from the cap and aperture. In this operation of securing the spoke ends in the rim, it is characteristic of my invention that the caps are secured in the rim against removal radially outwardly before the spokes are inserted, and that the full-sized spoke end, closed as shown in Fig. 7, is then inserted in the cap, and both parts subsequently compressed inwardly against the rim locking rim, spoke and cap together against removal in either direction outwardly or inwardly.

While the cap shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is well adapted for my method, yet other forms of caps may be used therefor. and I have illustrated modified forms in Figs. 9 to 12 all of which show the parts before compression. It is intended that such step shall follow the insertion of the spoke ends in these caps, just as it is done in Fig. 8 after the spoke 10 is inserted in the cap 24, as shown in Fig. 7. In the form shown in Figs. 9 10 and 11, the flange 23 is omitted, and other means is provided for preventing outward removal of the caps. In Fig. 9 the cap 25 isprovided with an annular bead 37 for this purpose; in Fig. 10, the cap 26 has a flange 38 bent outwardly against. the rim wall 21 but in contact with the main wall of the cap; in Fig. 11, such flange has a further flange 39 contacting the wall 21, thus securely holding the cap 27 in position. But in Fig. 12 the cap 28 has an annular flange 43 to barely engage the outer edge of the flange 23. The outer surfaces of all these caps in these views just described, are flat as shown, though they may be convex as the cap 24 without sacrificing any of the advantagesof the function claimed for the structure.

The axle-receiving member A is shown inserted in the spoke-receiving members or discs in Fig. 2, where a conventional type of hub is shown. It is a special advantage of my wheel that it is adapted to receive any of the ordinary forms of hub, it being understood only that the member A will usually comprise a tubular part 44 for insertion'in the central aperture of the discs 11 and 12, and a ring part 45, these two parts being also engaged by the ends of the bolts 42 which thus bind all the parts 11 and 12 andthe parts 44 and 45 as well. This results in a Very strong and well-braced structure.

The operation of building the wheel will now be described. It is noted that all parts of my construction are drawn metal. The spokes are drawn from a sheet leaving the end 30 closed and the opposite or inner end flared and open and having a strengthening bead adjacent its open end. The discs are shaped as shown in Fig. 6, the inner plates or discs 12 being secured to their respective discs 11 as shown at 20. The rim wall 21 is perforated and these apertures flanged at 23, if this type of rim is to be used. Then the particular form of cap is inserted in these apertures and there secured as before described. The several spokes are now fitted into the sockets or spaces between the edge walls 17, applying the base of the spokes to but one pair of discs at this time, inserting the outer end of the spoke in the corresponding cap immediately after laying the inner end in the discs, or before. The last few spokes to be applied will necessarily be inserted in the cap before applying to the discs.

In so applying the spokes. the open end of the same will rest directly upon the flange 16 and will be supported by both flanges 15 and 16 which afl'ord great strength because they are arranged telescopically and extend the full width of the hub. The other pair of discs shown in Fig. 6 will now be applied over the first pair holding the spokes therein. In so doing, the flanges 13 and 14 of one pair will face the others but will be slightly spaced therefrom, but the parts 18 and 19 will now be riveted to lock the spokes in the hub between the parts 17. The parts 30 and 24, or the corresponding part of other modified caps, are now compressed radially inward. expanding the two walls to 31 and 32 and at the same time compressing the two walls in the center inwardly toward the hub, thus locking the rim, spoke and hub together. The wheel is now completed so far as the spoke receiving structure and rim is concerned, and is adapted to receive the axle-receiving parts 44 and 45 when it is desired to do so. The structure may however be shipped in its present condition and the particular type of axle members A may be applied later. When this operation of inserting the part 44 into the. disc parts. and applying the ring part 45 thereon, is completed, the bolts 42 are inserted and the nuts tightened, which binding action clamps the disc parts 11 and 12 together until the edges of 13 and 14 are brought into contact, as shown in Fig. 2, which further clamps the hub and spoke parts together in tight engagement. The advantage gained in leaving the edges of 13 and 14 somewhat spaced apart until the bolts are inserted, is a novel and posi tive function not gained when the discs are in close engagement before the hub is inserted. This manner of building my wheel permits me to use spokes relatively shorter than would otherwise be essential tor the purpose of securing them in the hub discs, were there no strengthened and binding members such as I have shown by the numerals 15 and 16, as well as the parts 13, 14, 41 and 20.

From the above description of the operation. it is to be noted that applicant builds his wheel about the hub axis as a fixed point. This axis is the constant from which the position of the rim is determined, and the tinal position of the spokes is also found by inserting the outer end of each into the capped aperture of the rim and then laying the inner flared end of the spoke between the borders 17 with their inner ends resting upon the flanges 16 and 15. This is a novel method of building wheels the usual method being to start the operation from the rim, first inserting the outer end of the spoke into the rim and subsequently locating the hub ends as the situation demands. The position of the hub is then determined by the operation performed first at the rim.

The novel features of the completed product are thus seen to be. closed end spokes inserted in the capped apertures of the rim, and there locked against movement longitudinally in either direction, tour-disc spoke receiving elements a tiording great strength. double bolting and riveting of an enlarged inner end of the spokes. the base of the latter being its largest portion. the compressed spoke and cap at the axis of the two parts, there being no open ends of the spokes or caps to permit splitting of the parts under such great expanding strain. and the bolting of the discs together with the latter under strain opposing their mee ing as the bolts are tightened. The result is a strong and light wheel of metal binding at both ends a series of seamless, closed-end spokes without any of the disadvantages of the ordinary tubular spoke.

It is evident that many of the novel fcaturcs of this invention are themselves of great advantage though used with other forms of the parts here shown in connection therewith. and I desire to claim broadly such sepa rate parts as well as the combination of the connected structures illustrated. and the method of forming the final unit in the manner described.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The method of forming a metal vehicle wheel comprising inserting cup-shaped caps when inverted, into apertures in the inner surface of a wheel rim. said caps having means thereon for engaging the rim to limit the outward movement of the caps therein, positioning the capped rim rigidly relative to an axial center. fixing a pair of nested annular discs on said center with the inner disc having a flange inturned about the central opening thereof and in telescopic engagement with a corresponding flange of the outer disc of the pair. the inner disc having a spaced peripheral flange of greater radius than the other flange and of a width substantially equal to the finished wheel hub, inserting the outer ends of hollow metal spokes into said caps until they engage the bottom of the caps, said outer ends of the spokes being closed of full size in cross section, then laying the inner flared ends of the spokes into position on said discs with the open ends fitting the outermost flange of the inner disc. the outer disc extending radially outward beyond the flange and supporting the spokes, applying another pair of discs facing the first pair and with its outermost flange slightly smaller in radius than that of the first pair, so that the corresponding outer flanges of the inner discs will telescope and provide a reinforced support for the base ends of the spokes, and the innermost. flanges will accurately face each other in normally slightly spaced relation, pressing inwardly and toward each other the peripheral edges of the outer and larger discs between the spokes only to clamp the latter and connecting these plates together by riveting, con'ipressing the walls of both caps and spoke ends at one operation toward the outer surface of the rim to .dilate and expand both to a larger cross section than its aperture to lock the spokes and caps against radially outward movement, inserting the axle member in the disc centers and bolting the inner portions of the four discs together as well as the members of the axlereceiving element, at the same time binding the edges of the inner most flanges into contact ing engagement.

2. The method of assembling vehicle wheels comprising placing metal caps in the apertures of a wheel rim with the closed portion of the caps protruding outwardly from the apertures, inserting the closed ends of a drawn metal spoke into said capped apertures with the metal of spokes and caps contiguous, and upsetting the protruding layers of spokes and caps to lock the two parts in the rim.

3. The method of assembling vehicle wheels comprising placing four annular discs together in pairs, the smaller discs nested within the corresponding larger discs, the inner edges of the discs of each pair being inturned in telescoping relation about the edges of the central openings, the smaller discs of each pair having peripheral flanges spaced from the inner, flanges and inturned at such radial position that the two peripheral flanges of the two pairs will telescope when the pairs are applied together concentrically, applying the inner flared open ends of wheel spokes upon the extending border of the larger disc of one pair with their inner end resting against and supported upon the pe ripheral flange of this pair, applying the other pair over the first and over the spoke ends, and bolting together the discs below the spokes and riveting said borders together between the spokes.

a". The method of assembling vehicle wheels comprising securing annular discs together in pairs, one of each pair having spaced annular flanges and the other disc having an outwardly extending border beyond the larger flange of the first, laying the spokes upon the border of one pair with their base ends resting against the flange of the first disc, applying the other pair concentrieally to the first, and bolting the discs together.

.3. The method of securely locking spokes against radial movement in either direction relative to the rim, comprising inserting flanged caps in apertures of the rim with the flanges on the inner surface of the rim, inserting hollow spokes into the capped apertures and swaging the outer ends of both by one operation to dilate both to prevent removal of either inwardly from the aperture, the closed caps preventing outward movement of the spoke.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature.

ERNEST H. ARNOLD. 

